The Darkest Pit
by Sa'ash
Summary: Love is too good...


**I'd found this in my folder and wondered why I hadn't published this yet. I thought it was alright albeit a bit dark and humbling. Hope you enjoy it :)**

* * *

"Father, please, don't do this, I'm your son!"

"caught with another man, disregarding your duties, besmirching the reputation of this throne and the family. No. you are no son of mine." The imposing figure drew up to his full height, his mane billowing in the wind as he and his son stood off before the city's gates.

"How can you do this… do you really hate me now, after all this time all it took was one moment to change who you were?!"

"If I'd have known it would end up like this, I'd have never let one of your kind into my home. I've wasted all these years, and for what, trying to teach a tail-lifter how to rule a country. It's no wonder you never took to your responsibilities. Get out of my city, you'll not taint this place any longer." Without even looking his son in the face, Claudus turned and walked toward the throng of people who'd gathered to spectate. Liono was hurt, shunned, but his own Father, it was unbearable. Everything he'd had was stripped from him, his clothes, his life, gone. He had already begun sinking into that dark pit people go when there is nothing left of them, wearing nothing but a futile loincloth. He left the city, creeping slow, as if his feet were tied to this place, his home. The gates slammed loudly behind him, nearly clipping his heels, the guards all too eager to fall in line with their King. The sky loomed full of depressed clouds. Liono thought for only a moment that they were as broken as he was, crying when he did, but unlike him, they didn't have to leave.

* * *

"How could you do that, you didn't even bat an eye at sending your own flesh and blood away!" An irate Tiger yelled, pacing back and forth on the carpet, the focus of his fury sitting upon the dais, holding his head in his palm in an unamused fashion.

"You know exactly how I could do it. His kind, it's not right, it's not natural, and I will not lose face with the people by tolerating that thing in my home."

"That "thing" happens to be your real son. Who do you expect to take over once you're dead? A new family will have to assume the throne. You've just destroyed one hundred and four generations of Lions ruling Thundaria. In my opinion, that alone has already disgraced not only this family, but the ancestors as well."

"You're in no position to lecture me on my ancestors. You are an adopted child, you have no right to speak of my predecessors."

"I have every right. While Liono might have been off goofing around, who was sitting with tutors learning history and war tactics and politics. I have every right to speak on these matters, because I was taught them. Perhaps if you'd taken even the slightest interest in your sons you'd have remembered that."

"I'm not about to sit here and take this. I am the king of Thundaria, my rules are absolute and it's driven this country toward the greater good for years!" he bellowed, rising from his seat and advancing on the striped male. Defiantly, the latter stood his ground, face upturned in disgust.

"I wasn't aware that the greater good involved publicly humiliating and shunning one of your own. Regardless if he was caught with a male or not, you know as well as I that times are changing. It's becoming more common. I don't doubt Liono's curiosity got the better of him. You take everything at face value and neglect to give anything the simplest amount of thought. Is nothing worthy of your time, are you truly that unappeasable?"

"Off with you, I'll have no more of this. What's done is done and you will not sow me with doubts." Red, the Tiger left, but instead of turning right from the door, he went left, his feet thudding angrily against the carpet as he made his way to the Lion's room, and then ultimately, the city gates. His Father understood nothing, and he never would. His bigotry had never before gone this far, nor his arrogance. Tygra had tried his hardest, but alas, Claudus was too firmly entrenched in his ways, and his stubbornness cemented him there.

Little did Claudus know however, that under Tygra's anger, perhaps fanning those flames, was guilt. Liono had indeed been caught with another man, but surprisingly not one of the guards who saw them managed to catch a glimpse of the other male. There was a reason behind that; because the other male was the Tiger stalking through the night, on the hunt for the Lion.

* * *

The night was cold, and the Lion drew his arms close to his chest to try and block the air from penetrating his core. He shivered nonetheless, but only partly from the temperature. His eyes were painfully sore, their sockets swollen and dark from the tears he'd shed. But there was a slight happiness blinking softly under the shroud of his despair. He was the martyr, he took responsibility for everything, and he was the one sent away. Another shiver joined the rest, the thought of Tygra being pushed out along with him, he'd never survive with that guilt on his conscience. The Tiger would be better off in the city, he'd be able to have a real life, even if it would have been something like a military advisor. It was still a life though, and Liono allowed himself to indulge in a smile of hope that his love was safe.

He stopped at a hollow, and crawled through the roots to sit against the freezing bark, his feet yelling in exhaustion and pain. He still had not come to terms with his fate. He was meant to die out here, alone in the harsh wilderness that surrounded Thundaria's capital like an ocean of savagery. To his surprise his eyes could still shed tears as he thought on his death. He came to the conclusion that if he had a choice, he'd much rather die in his sleep rather than being torn to pieces by some wild animal out here. It'd be a few days until he'd starve, until then he'd have to wander to avoid the latter conclusion to his life. He had so many regrets, but few enough that he could make a list and remember it. The first, perhaps the largest, was that he wouldn't be able to tell Tygra that he loves him. His second, was that he would hear Tygra say it back.

"Let me pass." Tygra commanded, the guards eyes wide and unsure as they barred the male's path. They looked at each other, growing nervous as they tried to think of what to do. Claudus had ordered the gates shut and barred from all exit or entry for the time being. Tygra didn't care what that fool had to say though, and once again he stated his command, his voice growing and laced with bestiality. Crippling under his demeanor, the guards finally unlatched the heavy doors and cracked them open, just enough for the Tiger to pass, and once he was clear, they quickly pulled it shut and replaced the latch.

The male was focused in his task, a simple one yet of the gravest importance. He too knew what Liono was meant to do out here, and that grim knowledge wind behind his feet, urging him forward. The rain had lightened and seemed slowed in time, each drop falling almost like a snowflake to splash against the dirt. Tygra ignored all of them, he ignored everything except the air in his nose and the path in his sights. He was looking for little things, whatever was left of the male. He could envision him in his head; the light skin, bright smile, and every curve that the Tiger had come to know. Most women would kill for the opportunity to map that body as intimately as Tygra had. Fortunately for him, no woman would get the chance. He could remember the first time they'd laid together, Liono had been so nervous, but proved to be eager and energetic once he got into the mood. Tygra could smell the musk of that body, his fingers trembled as he remembered the smooth fur and his mouth watered as the taste of the other male's flooded his tongue. He'd never known that happiness was so close, could ever be so close as his had been. Liono was everything, why he tolerated military councils, why he tolerated what his life had become; Liono made none of it matter, he showed Tygra that life was so much more than what you do, it's about everything you are. Liono is everything Tygra is. He's the explanation for everything good that's happened to him; and he'll be damned if he lets that happiness die away in this unforgiving forest.

* * *

The Lion had already begun his trek again, driven by fears of sounds he thought he'd heard, which usually turned out to only be his stomach. He could feel weakness spreading through his limbs, and his mind. He was afraid. His anger was gone, because everything he was angry at didn't matter anymore. Claudus wasn't out here trying to kill him, the onzus were. Ravenous beasts that looked more devil than lizard, growing nearly the size of an adult cat with an appetite of ten times that many. His voice had grown hoarse, he'd spent the rest of last night screaming into the darkness for Tygra to save him. He knew he wouldn't be rescued out here. No one rescue someone who's been banished, no one ever does. He fell against a tree, his legs giving out. The tears came again as soon as he heard a low growl in the bushes before him.

This had to be it. He'd been caught. He couldn't see any signs of movement, and couldn't smell anything, but he could hear the growls. They were wretched, like a beast signaling cornered prey that it was going to die. The male's legs were limp and refused to move, no matter how hard Liono tried to stand. Each second he waited was a second that his fear boiled and screamed inside his head, crying defiantly that this wasn't how things were supposed to be. The source of the growls still did not strike, even after several minutes had passed. Liono felt some kind of hope well in his chest and his eyes caught another hollow close by, small enough that he might be able to slide into it and hide. His arms grabbed at the soil as he pulled himself across the expanse of leaves and dying grass and mud. He saw nothing except the hollow, and prayed that he would make it. The growls started to get angrier, louder. Liono kept pulling himself across the underbrush as fast as he could, commanding himself to move faster. He made it, and squeezed himself inside, huddling against the back as he sighed and panted. His hands were caked with the dark earth and his body was dirty and wet from the slurry left by the rain. The growls continued, but echoed inside the trunk. Tears welled in the Lion's eyes as he realized his foolishness. He raised his head, seeing the sky through a crack in the bark above him and screamed in frustration, the fragments of his shattered voice carried off by the wind before an ear could hear them.

* * *

Night was falling fast, Tygra had already been out here for a day and the only signs he could find were a bloody footprint and some skids in the dirt. He couldn't help thinking that the Lion had gotten attacked out here. It was possible. Then again, he could have stepped on something and cut himself, there were plenty of sharp sticks and rocks hidden under piles of leaves, awaiting the careless. Whatever the reason, he knew the male was hurt, and tried harder and harder, looking for something, anything that might be there to guide him. He wouldn't allow himself to cry, not yet. He kept moving, eyes darting here and there, searching for that one hint. He found it, at long last, nearly two hours after nightfall. The moonlight pierced the clouds just long enough for his eyes to spot something on the ground that ought not have been a part of it. He picked up Liono's loincloth and gave it a cursory sniff. The rain hadn't washed away the musk from it, and from that one smell, Tygra could feel the trail calling to him. There were footprints now, made after the rain had stopped and left to dry in the mud. Tygra's eyes glinted, he had been answered. He broke into a run, following the imprints with victorious fervor until they led him to a curious clearing. The grass had been ripped out in places, and a the ground bore marks like someone had been sliding over it. The scent was all around him here, Liono had to be here, somewhere. The track led to a fallen tree partially connected to its trunk, and the ground looked like it'd been dug out underneath it. Lowering himself, Tygra saw the hole in the bark, but only darkness beyond. As if out of pity, the sky parted yet again, and let moonlight pour in through that little slit in the top of the hollow, and Tygra's eyes went wide as his quarry was illuminated and revealed to him. Now he allowed himself to cry, and crawled inside, caring not as his pants were stained by the slushy mud and grass. He pulled the male into his arms, the Tiger's face scrunched in painful relief. He saw Liono's eyes were swollen, he could see the fear that had plastered itself on that once incomparably handsome face. He saw the scars his body bore, the beginnings of emaciation, the pale hue of his fur. Tygra held him close, reveling in the sweet music of the Lion's light heartbeat. He removed his cloak and threw it over them, Tygra would not have his love freezing on him now. He drew a small pouch of water, and a loaf of bread from the pack at his waist and dangled it before Liono's nose, smiling slightly as it stirred the male and made the eyes crack open. For being left to die, for all the stress put on his body, Tygra was relieved that Liono still had the most beautiful sapphire eyes in all of Thundaria.

"Tygra…" Liono called, softly, strained. It nearly ripped the striped male's heart out to hear how weak he was, and shushed him, offering the food and water. Liono teared up and took them, engulfing them both and hoping it would be enough to appease his hunger.

"I found you Liono…" the Tiger said, pulling his Lion close to his body and leaving a small kiss on the male's neck.

"you'll…get dirty…" Liono tried to say, but Tygra chuckled softly.

"But a small price to pay." He angled himself against the bark and kept the Lion close, telling the male he'd take him home when the sun has risen.

"But…" Liono tried speaking again, and Tygra shushed him again, motioning for him to la y down and sleep.

"Love is too good to let 'buts' get in the way."


End file.
